Damn Lily Evans
by Ellaspants
Summary: "I do not fancy James Potter!" "And I am Lord Voldemort." Marlene replied. "Oh I'm sorry I thought we were stating facts that were completely untrue." The only thing Lily Evans wants more than to strangle James Potter, is James Potter. This story follows James and Lily through their last two year at Hogwarts. How do two people fall in love in a world full of hatred...?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"No - listen, I didn't mean -"

"-to call me Mudblood? But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood,

Severus. Why should I be any different?"

Even though it was a warm May evening, Lily shivered in her loose night clothes. They were standing outside the entrance to the Gryffindor common-room. Lily crossed her arms tightly as she studied Severus' face, the torch-light cast dark shadows on his angular features, his hair black as ink that hung just below his weak jaw -line, and the desperate look in his eyes as he was trying -and failing- to save whatever friendship was left between the two.

"Lily- Please..."

There was no way she could forgive him, she knew that. But as she listened to his futile attempt at reconciliation her heart was breaking for him. _No, not him_. Not for the boy standing before her, but the one she grew up with. The boy that showed her a world full of magic, who played and laughed with her, her best friend despite his up-bringing. But he was gone, he chose the wrong side.

"I'm done Sev," she said as coldly as she could, holding back the tidal wave of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. "Just leave me alone."

Severus' shoulders slumped, he couldn't look her in the eye, "If-if that's what you want Lily."

It was what she wanted, Merlin it was.

She couldn't make any more excuses for him, she couldn't hear him promise to stay away from dark magic just to see him turn around and break that promise, she just couldn't be his friend anymore. Not when being his friend meant losing respect for herself.

"Goodbye Severus."

Lily felt her new found resolve crumble, as she watch his dark figure stalk down the hallway. Once he was out of sight, she was slowly realising that it was really gone, years and years of friendship, just gone.

If it hadn't been for the Fat Lady, Lily would have broken down right there in the diserted corridor.

" _I_ never liked that boy," she announced. "And frankly _I_ think you did the right thing."

"You know nothing about it. Liquorice allsorts." she snapped the Gryffindor password before the Fat Lady could respond.

Lily barged through the portrait hole, with splutterings of "W-Well _I never_!" coming from behind her.  
-

James Potter was _not_ waiting up for Lily Evans He just happened to be in the common room when Mary went running to Lily claiming Snape was going to sleep in the hall if she did talk to him. And he just happened to be watching the portrait hole ever since, and he just happened to notice she hadn't come back yet.

Everyone else had gone to bed and James was sitting alone in one the of comfy chairs by the fireplace, trying to convince himself that he really did want to stay up and read for another while, even though his eyelids were getting heavy, and his eyes stung and started to water every time he blinked. _Damn Lily Evans..._ He thought as his eyelids drooped and he sunk deeper into the cushions.

James jerked awake to the sound of the portrait hole opening. After everything that had happened at the lake that day, James knew he was the last person on the face of this earth Lily wanted to see. But he couldn't help himself, he couldn't spend an entire summer not knowing if she was okay, if the had been stupid enough to let that snake worm his way back into her life.

He stood up lazily, and looked at Lily. She was leaning against the back of the Fat Lady's portrait, her head pressed against the dark wood. She had her eyes closed and was taking a deep breath, calming herself. James had never seen someone look so peaceful. And of course he had to ruin it.

"Lily Evans breaking curfew, I have to admit I'm kind proud," he smirked.

Lily didn't even open her eyes, but James saw her forehead crease and her posture stiffen.

"Not now, Potter."

"Aw come on Evans, you gotta tell me about your midnight rendezvous with _Snivellus._ " He practically spat out the last word.

"Not. Now. Potter." She said through gritted teeth, still refusing to move an inch.

James knew he should shut up, turn around and go to bed. Maybe even apologise for his part, but he didn't.

"So what did he say this time?" his words had lost all warmth.

Silence.

"Come on Evans, what did he say to make you forget all about the terrible things he has done? Did he tell you he was sorry? That he didn't mean it? That it was all the 'big bad James Potters' fault? Or did he just feed you another crappy sob story, about how hard his life is?" the anger was rising in his voice. "What was it? That you're the only one that understands him or that Mommy and Daddy didn't love hi-"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" she yelled, her eyes blazing with fury. "You don't know anything about his family!"

He'd gone too far, he knew that, but he didn't care. All he wanted was a reaction.

"How could you defend him!" James spat back. "After what he called you today!"

"I'm not defending him! I'm scolding you. THERE'S A GODDAMN DIFFERENCE POTTER!"

"I'M NOT THE ONE YOU SHOULD BE ANGRY WITH!"

"No! You are exactly the one I should be angry with Potter! If you weren't such an insufferable ass, none of this would have happened!"

" _You're blaming me?"_ he said incredulously. "You're an idiot if you don't realise that he would have betrayed you, with or with out me!"

Lily was pissed, mainly because she knew he was right, but that didn't matter. Nothing mattered but hurting him the way she was hurting right now.

"Do you _ever_ take responsibility for _anything_? Of course you don't, I'm sorry I forgot you're James Potter, you don't even have to wipe your own arse if you don't want to and everyone will still run around trying to kiss it." James grimaced at the imagery.

"At least I know the difference between right and wrong. Unlike Snivellus and his gang of death eater wannabes."

"Merlin, you don't even realise." She sneered. "You're just as bad as them Potter. Walking around the school as if you own it, hexing anyone you don't like. You constantly make people feel like shit, whether you realise it or not the only difference between you and them, Potter, is that they at least are honest about their superiority complex."

James felt as if he'd just been punched in the gut. Every word she'd just yelled hung heavy in the silence between them. If that's what she truly thought of him he couldn't stand to look at her.

"Goodnight Evans."

"I-I," she spluttered as James walked past her."-Stop, I-"

But he didn't stop. He climbed up the boys dormitory staircase, leaving a lost Lily Evans alone in the common room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Alice! That's my hair brush."

"No Mar, yours is the purple one-Have you seen my dress robes?"

"They're on Lily's dresser."

Lily woke to the yells and panic that always ensues on the last morning at Hogwarts. No matter the amount of nagging Lily and Mary do, their two roommates always left their packing until last minute, every year, with-out fail. Lily sat up groggily, blinking away the water from her stinging eyes. She had barely gotten any sleep last night and she could already feel it. She looked around the small dorm-room, the morning sun was streaming in the windows lighting up the scene before her. Marlene frantically shoving clothes into her over-flowing suitcase, Alice holding up three different Transfiguration books trying to figure out which one was hers and Mary lying on her bed out of their way, refusing to help on principle.

"Why do we have Fabians Transfiguration book?" Alice asked throwing one of the books in her trunk.

"We, have it? Damn he spent weeks searching for it."

It took her drowsy mind a few minutes to even remember why see had been up so late, then it hit her. All the emotions she felt last night came rushing back, anger, sadness, regret, guilt? For Potter? She shouldn't have yelled at him -he was being a prick- but she knew she had just been taking out her frustrations on him.

"Lily," Marlene startled her. "You're awake."

Lily could hear the worry in her best friend's voice, and she loved her for it.

"You woke me up with all your yelling."

Her friends share a look of concern. "I'm fine guys. Now hurry up or we'll miss the train."

And she got to work desperately trying to get her friends trunks packed in time.

They nearly did miss it, by the time they made it onto the train the only carriage left was at the very end of the train, the girls piled in as they pulled out of the station. They sat in silence for a few moments until Marlene cleared her throat.

"So…Lily-?

She knew exactly what they wanted to ask her. Might as well get it over with.

"No Severus and I are no longer friends."

Relief washed over her friends. Lily knew that they were probably ecstatic, but they had enough tact not to show it.

"I'm sorry, Lily." Alice said always sympathetic.

"It had to happen eventually." She shrugged trying to play it off. "It actually wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be."

"I thought-We heard you yelling at each other?" Marlene looked at Mary confused.

"No that was Potter." Lily jumped at the chance to change the topic. She would rather talk about anyone other than her ex-best friend -even Potter.

"James?"

"He was waiting up for me, he just wanted to rile me up about Sev-Snape."

"He's a grade O idiot." Marlene said rolling her eyes. She and James had been good friends, since they were very young and she was the only Gryffindor girl who could actually stand him but even she could admit that when it came to Lily Evans he was hopeless.

"I actually feel bad about it, I kinda went off at him." She admitted.

"Lily Evans feeling bad for James Potter? Did hell freeze over while I wasn't looking?" Marlene laughed.

"Har, har."

"He probably deserved whatever you said to him." Mary said stiffly.

Mary hated James Potter as much as Lily, which was a sore spot between her and Marlene -Marlene felt Lily had a right to hate James, after all the times he's badgered her- but James had never given Mary a reason to dislike him. Thankfully Marlene ignored her comment.

"Maybe you should apologise." Alice suggested.

"Maybe."

"He might have a heart-attack if you do."

"Knowing my luck he'd probably take it was me finally confessing my undying love."

"Well we all know you've been secretly crushing on him since second year." Marlene said mischievously.

"Not this again," Lily groaned. "Are you ever going to let that go?"

"Nope," Marlene replied popping the 'p'. "It's your own fault for saying it."

"Saying what?" Mary asked.

"I was twelve!"

"So? That's irrelevant."

Mary and Alice shared a look of confusion.

"I said Potter was cute, once, when I was twelve."

"No, no, no… Don't misinform them." Marlene was clearly enjoying making her best friend squirm. "She said- and I quote- he was 'the cutest boy in school'."

"I was twelve…" Lily whined, as her friends laughed, but she was secretly thankful to Marlene for defusing the tension. She realised just how much she would miss her friends over the summer, sure she loved her family but Hogwarts was her home.

As the train barreled towards King's Cross station Lily was happy to sit quietly and listen to her friends reminisce about the past year. Though they had good memories of the year but Lily thought that it had probably been one of the worst she'd ever had at Hogwarts.

She would never tell them this of course but a part of her was glad it was over so that maybe she could come back next year with a new start. She had spent most of the year stressing about the O.W.L's and whether she'd ever get through to Severus plus with the added hardship of trying to avoid Potter at all times she had spent wasted her fifth year too preoccupied to enjoy herself. But she vowed that sixth year was going to be different, she had no major exams to worry about and she had finally let go of her anguishing friendship with Severus. Sure she still had Potter to deal with, but she wasn't going to let him bring her down. No sixth year is going to be the best yet.

* * *

Lily knew she was being silly, as she took the shoe box out from under her bed. She should have been delighted. A month had passed since the last day of school and it had been her loneliest summer yet. Marlene was on holiday in France, Alice was working for the summer and Mary live too far away to visit, even Petunia was spending the doing typing course in London. Without Severus, she was alone in Cokeworth. Maybe that's why she was so aware of the fact that for first time since they were thirteen James Potter was not writing to her over the summer. Of course there could be no other reason that she would notice this other than boredom and loneliness.

The box was full of creamy parchment covered in writing that could only be described a chicken scratch. Lily didn't know why she kept all his letters, she didn't even know why she read them in the first place. She had lied to Potter over the years and told him the only one reading his letters was the trash-man -of course then she had to explain what a trash-man was. Once she told him that she threw his letters away without even opening them they changed, they weren't comparing her hair to pumpkins or her green eyes to the colour of a Hiccoughing Potion, they were actually kind of funny. He wrote to her about his summer, about the pranks he was planning, about things she knew he would probably never tell her if he knew she was reading them. Most of them were just silly stories but she enjoyed reading them, though she'd never admit it she was missing them this summer.

Lily picked up a letter from last year.

 _06/6/75_

 _To my lovely Lily-pad,_

 _How has your summer been so far? How long did it take to finish all your homework this year? A day? Two?_

 _Sadly, my father has gone on this whole 'good parenting' kick he's making us an hour of study a day so for the first time I won't be doing my homework on the train back to Hogwarts. I think it's just cause Sirius is staying with us for the summer, he has gotten this strange idea that if he doesn't discipline us we will become 'mischievous rule-breakers'._

 _On a completely unrelated note I think my mom had been hiding all the letters Hogwarts has sent home about me from my father._

 _It's alright though Sirius and I have been spending the time creating our own code, so no one can read our letters. We only have to keep humouring him until next week, he's going away on a business trip for a few weeks, by the time he's back he'll have some other wonderful idea for father-son bonding. He once made me learn how to knit (yes the muggle way), that phase didn't last very long._

 _Sincerely,_

 _James P._

 _12/7/75_

 _Dear Lily('s trash-man),_

 _I've never been grounded before, so I just reached another important milestone in my life. I'm surprised it's taken so long for my mother to finally snap, fifteen years if you compare it to McGonagall's fifteen minutes. Why did I get grounded you ask?_

 _Well, Lily my dear, it is (as per usual) all Sirius's fault. In all honesty, I was aiming for Sirius, he wouldn't give me my Quidditch through the ages back, I really wasn't my fault that my mother decided to walk into my room at that moment. But on the bright side McGonagall will be delighted I preformed the Avifors charm perfectly, and my mother did make a lovely bluebird. Though she didn't see it that way. After all the pranks, I've pulled on purpose she grounds me for a stupid accident. Sirius got no punishment. In my opinion her logic is flawed._

 _I guess that just means I have more time to write to you._

 _James P._

 _29/7/75_

 _To my lovely Lily_

 _Well the grounding didn't last long, once my mum realised that by grounding me she would have to deal with me hanging out around the house bored all the time with only her for company._

 _I feel like I should be insulted that my mother doesn't want to spend all day everyday with me, but even I can admit that being in my magnificent presence for that long can be tiring for anybody._

 _Sirius has been spending most days visiting Remus with Peter. He hasn't been doing well recently. His illness has been getting him down, sometimes I just want to yell at him for not realising that he is more than his illness but he doesn't see it that way. He thinks it makes him somehow 'lesser' than us, which is bull if you ask me._

 _So it turns out when you are trying to cheer someone up, yelling at them- bad, chocolate- good. Just a basic guide I've learned this summer._

 _Yours,_

 _James P._

Lily put down the letters. Sometimes she felt like reading them was an invasion of privacy.

* * *

Sirius's stomach was in knots while looking at his best friend. He was unusually pale and looked smaller than he'd ever seen him, the armchair he was sitting in seemed to swallow him up. He was just staring at the fireplace unblinking. He wanted to comfort him but there was nothing he could say, all they could do is wait.

Fleamont Potter had been admitted into St. Mongo's, with cursed wounds. Nobody knew how or why he'd gotten them. Last night he told his family that he had to go into work of a few hours and the next thing any of them knew an auror showed up at the Potter residence. They were trying to take him out of a magically induced coma, they couldn't be certain he would wake up and if he did they weren't sure he'd be the same. They had been in Mongo's for the past twenty-four hours until he was stable.

Hours ago, Ms. Potter had sent the boys home to get some rest, but James had sat in that chair the second they arrived and hadn't moved since.

"It's going to be okay James."

He looked up Sirius, the fire illuminating his expressionless face.

"You don't know that."

* * *

Lily breathed in the warm mist that floated around the small bathroom, as she slowly massaged the shampoo into her scalp. She turned the water up so hot it was almost scalding -just the way she liked it- and let it run over her body, turning her creamy porcelain skin red and raw. The steaming shower was the perfect way to wake her up on a lazy summer morning-

"AAAAAAHHHH!"

The scream pierced through the cloudy bathroom. Images of men in dark cloaks and masks filled Lily's head. Without hesitation, Lily grabbed her towel and wand, sprinting down stairs her heart beating like crazy, but a cold determination in the eyes. She nearly slipped as she skidded into the kitchen doorway, wand raised, suds still in her hair.

"WHERE ARE THEY?"

"Where are who dear?" Mr Evans blinked as he tore his gaze from his newspaper.

"You're dripping dear." Her mother added indicating to the small puddle forming at her feet.

Lily surveyed the eastern facing kitchen, with its morning sunlight pouring in giving the room a warm glow. She saw nothing out of the ordinary; her father was sitting reading the sports section, her mother drinking tea in nibbling on her toast with organic marmalade, her fathers eggs and sausages spread out in front of him waiting to be eaten until after he finishes the paper, but his cup of coffee already gone.

"The D-dea-"

"YOU!" screeched the same voice Lily had heard from the bathroom. It was Petunia crouched in a very unladylike manner on the kitchen counter pointing across the room. "You make sure that _thing_ stays away from me."

Petunia was pointing at a large brown owl perched on the Evans' kitchen windowsill.

Lily squealed when she saw it, she would know that owl anywhere. It was one of the Hogwarts owls, which could only mean on thing.

"My results are here!" She exclaimed as she rushed over to the owl, who looked very unimpressed by all the commotion his presence had caused. Petunia claimed to be terrified of birds, all birds, yet this fear only occurred once she realised it was the main for of communication between wizards therefore hindering Lilys ability to write to her friends over the summer.

Lily ripped open the letter, containing her precious O.W.L results. Her wet skin making the parchment damp.

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results

 **Pass Grades**

Outstanding (O)

Exceeds Expectations (E)

Acceptable (A)

 **Fail Grades**

Poor (P)

Dreadful (D)

Troll (T)

Lily Elizabeth Evans has achieved:

Astronomy **0**

Care of Magical Creatures **E**

Charms **0**

Defense Against the Dark Arts **O**

Herbology **0**

History of Magic **0**

Potions **0**

Transfiguration **E**

Arithmancy **0**

Lily laughed, relieved. Her O.W.L results had been weighing on the back of her mind all summer. But she had done better than she exppected, she even had an O in Arithmancy. Though she was sightly disappointed with Transfiguration, no matter how hard she worked on it, the subjected never seemed to click.

"I take it you're pleased with your results dear." Ms Potter looked expectantly at her daughter.

Lily had tried to explain the wizarding system of grading to her parents several times but, they never quite got it. Her mother was surprisingly upset about the names they gave to the failing grades- "Isn't failing bad enough?"- and her father couldn't understand why all her major exams were named after animals- "How are the students supposed to take the exam seriously with such ridiculous name?".

"Yes mum, very pleased."

"Well in that case, we should celebrate!" Mr Evans announced."We are going out for dinner tonight."

"Dad you really don't have to-" she immediately felt guilty they didn't have money to waist on frivolous things like eating out.

"Nonsense. Tuney you can even bring that new boy of yours."

"Lily sweetheart, I suggest you wash you hair before that shampoo drys in."

She skipped up the stairs taking them two by two, her excitement for the new school year steadily building.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Steam was already billowing from the the scarlet train when Lily rushed on to the platform, a sign of how close she had cut her arrival. She cursed herself, she had made the same mistake every September 1st since she was eleven years old, her excitement for the coming year kept her mind racing all night until eventually she crashed at four in the morning not to move until her mother pulled the duvet off her screaming bloody murder about how she was going to miss the train.

She had barely spared a moment to say goodbye to the mother before Lily was weaving her way through the crowed train, poking her head into each carriage hoping to spot Marlene's familiar dark curls. The train was packed Lily was struggling to drag her heavy suitcase behind her. By the time she reached the compartment a dull ache had settled over her arms. Elation coursed trough her when she finally saw her best friends for the first time in months, but she didn't have a chance to savoir the feeling before the train jolted forward and she was sent crashing.

"Lil-AGGHH!"

"I'm so sorry Alice!" Lily exclaimed.

"Nice one Lils." Marlene snorted.

"Shut it you." She replied fondly. " I didn't hurt you, did I?" She asked Alice with concern.

"No Lils I'm-"

"Sarah Mulligan might hurt you though, if you're late for the meeting." Mary interjected.

"Bollocks! Mar you don't mind taking care of my case?" She asked while already hastily walking out the door.

"Nice to see you TOO LILY!" Marlene called after her sarcastically.

Lily couldn't help smiling to herself as she pushed through the throngs of students. She couldn't afford to be late to the first prefect meeting of the year. Sarah Mulligan a seventh year Ravenclaw girl had inexplicably taken a disliking to Lily last year and much to Lily's chagrin she had been made Head Girl. Thankfully she was not the last to arrive to the - evidently very boring and long winded- meeting. Lily felt as though she had aged about ten years by the time Sarah finished talking.

"Lily, how was your summer?" Remus caught her just as she was trying to make her escape.

"Good, quiet. Yours?"

"Oh you know same ol', same ol'."

She smiled. "Anyway I'll see you later, Remus."

"Wait!" Remus grabbed her arm just as she turned to leave.

"Yes?" she said surprised.

He shifted awkwardly looking out the door behind her and then at the two Hufflepuff prefects still in the compartment with them.

"Remus are you okay?" She had a bad feeling, Remus was her friend but he was still a marauder. She had learned after many years if one of them is acting suspiciously move with great speed in the opposite direction as soon as possible. " I should really be get back to the girls."

"I-I just wanted to ask you a question real quick."

" Oh yeah?" He was continuously glancing up at the two Hufflepuffs.

"Actually more like I want to get your opinion on something."

"What is it Remus?" He must have heard the impatience in her voice because his focus snapped back to her. He looked uncertain for a moment.

"Do you think I have a chance with Marlene?"

Lily felt like she had been smacked in the face. She didn't actually know what she had been expecting but it wasn't that. Remus couldn't possibly like Marlene. He thought she was too loud and excitable, he hated the fact that she used her looks to string guys along and he considers her morals 'dubious at best'. Not to mention the fact they hardly ever speak to each other.

"You fancy Marlene?" She inquired trying to keep her voice for telling her thoughts.

"Yeah, I do. So what do you think Lily?" He wouldn't look above her shoes.

Merlin, how was she supposed to let him down easily. Marlene had no interest in Remus, completely not her type at all she would eat poor Remus alive. Before she had a chance to formulate her response the door opened suddenly grabbing her attention.

"All right Mooney, Prongs has got it from here." Sirius said wrapping his arms around Remus dragging him out the door not before Remus sent an apologetic look Lily's way.

"Remus!" Lily exclaimed refusing to look at Potter who had just entered the room, but her indignation was only met with a slam of the door.

James cleared his throat.

"What do you want Potter?" She asked accusingly as she whirled around to face him.

She was shocked by what she saw. He had changed over the summer and not for the better. The mischievous glint in his eyes was replaced with dark circles, his signature smirk was gone in its and now an air of sobriety shrouded him. He no longer looked fit and lean, he was washed out. He had grown an inch or two over the summer but that just made him look like even more of a hollowed out man.

"I wanted to apologies." He was speaking at a normal level but there was something about the way he spoke that made Lily feel as if she was hearing a whisper.

"For what?" she responded quietly.

"The way I've acted in the past, especially last year."

"Potter if you think-" she started to get angry.

"Please let me finish." His voice filled with a sad desperation.

She found herself unable to look at him.

"I'm not going to make excuses or ask your forgiveness but you should know that I am sorry, I was wrong I see that now. I'm going to do as you asked and leave you alone as best I can." He sounded like he was reciting a badly written speech. Every word distant and cold not like they was coming from the boy who once transfigured all the desserts in the Great Hall into treacle tarts because they were her favorite. "See you later Evans."

She forced herself to look up be he had already turned around and was walking away.

What in Merlins name was that? She found herself thinking as she made her way back to her friends. Potter couldn't possibly be serious with that pathetic attempt at an apology. It must have been some sort of lead up to a start of year prank, she just couldn't figure out what. Her stomach dropped when she remembered how unlike himself he looked even Potter couldn't be that good of an actor. She dismissed it focusing on how she was going to kill Remus when she saw him next for clearly acting a Potters stall tactic.

"How was it?" Marlene asked.

"Boring as expected." She sighed sitting down.

"You should really be less nonchalant about your duties. Its important you take them seriously." Mary scolded.

Lily and Marlene shot each other a look. They both knew very well that Mary had, had her heart set on the gold prefect badge now pinned to Lily's jumper. Lily for the most part chose to ignore her jealous comments. Marlene did not.

"We all know how serious Lily takes being a prefect. Dumbledore couldn't have chosen anyone better."

Lily rolled her eyes, subtly was not Marlene's strong suit.

"So Lily how was your summer?" Alice said quickly to change the subject.

James didn't say anything when he got back from talking to Lily. Sirius did his best to pretend to be interested in Peters tales of how he lost his left shoe to a gnome over the summer, but he was too worried about his best friend.

"-the little bugger was taunting me with it for ages. I tried to get it back but every time I grabbed him, he would throw it to one of his friends. He bit me on the ear! Look! I'm gonna be scarred for life cause of that gnome."

"As fascinating as your ear is Pete," Sirius said eyeing Peters red lumpy ear distastefully, "I wanna know how things went with the she-devil."

"Don't call her that." Remus stated. Sirius noticed he didn't scold him for prying James for information, he must be curious too. Even Peter didn't seem to mind his story being interrupted.

James glared at his friends. "It was fine."

"Come on Prongs we've all noticed you're in an even more fowl a mood than you were when you went in." Sirius stated bluntly.

"Which is saying a lot." Peter muttered under his breath.

Sirius could help but snort at that. It was true James had been terrible company ever since Mr Potter had been admitted into St. Mongos near the start of the summer. He'd only been released a few weeks before they had to head off for Hogwarts but he was still mostly bedridden. The healers had told Mrs Potter that he would never truly be the as he was before the attack but he's spirit was unbroken, the same could not haven been said for James. He had for the first time in his life come face to face with an obstacle he could not overcome. Sirius guessed James had never even considered the thought of his parents dying, unlike like him. He had thought about his own lovely parents kicking the bucket many, many times.

Sirius studied his friend carefully, to say James was sheltered was an understatement. He had no perception of any real hardship of any kind until this summer. From the outside it may have made him appear spoiled but it wasn't James fault he had a indefectible youth. It was hard for Sirius not to be envious sometimes but then again he wouldn't trade places with James right now for the world.

There had been non-stop fighting between the Potters since Mr Potter was declared out of the woods. He refused to tell his wife or anyone else for that matter how he had acquired his injuries. The Potter Manor was deafened by the sounds of indignant roars. Though his parents did try they did a terrible job of hiding what was going on from the teenagers, and it became obvious to everyone that Mr Potter had in fact been attacked by Voldemort followers. The brewing war affecting them for the first time.

All this had cause the seeming personality switch in James Potter.

James sighed and sat forward resigned to telling them what happened as he knew he would have to eventually. "I said sorry."

"And?" Remus prompted.

"And I sounded like a right prat doing it."

"Did she say anything? " Sirius asked.

"Didn't give her a chance to."

"So that's that." Sirius said with finality. "No more Evans to deal with, a dawn of a new era for the marauders."

"She'll still be around Pads."

"Yeah but now we wont have to listen to James' pining, Mooney."

"Remind me why you hate her so much?"

"Guys!" James yelled, they all stopped and looked at their friend. "Can we please talk about something, anything else?"


End file.
